Project Greenlight

There are two Onion articles that are never far from my mind. One I referenced just this week: Harsh Light Of Morning Falls On One-Night Stand’s DVD Collection. That one was from 2003, the other was originally published in 2007 and also involves movies: All You Had To Say Was ‘Owen Wilson Befriends A Dolphin’ And I Was Sold. That one was written from the perspective of a fictional Hollywood producer, Howie Sandberg, receiving a pitch and being utterly satisfied with nothing more than half a sentence.

Listen—stop talking. I don’t need to hear the rest. The first half of the sentence was genius! “Owen Wilson befriends a dolphin and…” And? What “and”? No “and” necessary! Are you kidding me? I’m sold. Sold!

As it happened, that article also came back to me this week not so much when I read about Anna Kendrick’s new streaming series for MGM+, “Embassy,” but when I saw the accompanying photo announcing the streaming series. It was a photo of Anna Kendrick and her co-star Sam Heughan in an air duct. And I immediately thought, I don’t need to know the rest. That photo is genius! Anna Kendrick in an air duct and... And? What “and”? No “and” necessary! Are you kidding me? I’m sold. Sold!

Well, on second thought, maybe one “and.” Anna Kendrick in an air duct and it’s a movie, not a streaming series, a hundred minutes, tops.